Help file: I can't run the old Cardfile program in my copy of Windows 7 (64-bit). Is there any workaround?

Rob Pegoraro
Saturday, October 16, 2010;
8:54 PM

Q: I can't run the old Cardfile program in my copy of Windows 7 (64-bit). Is there any workaround?

A: I was not aware of this issue until getting an e-mail or two from readers, then seeing how many other users had the issue. It does, in fact, exist: Cardfile, an exceedingly simple info-management program included with Windows 3.1 and other old releases, doesn't run in the 64-bit version of Windows 7 (the most common one on new computers).

One remedy is to install a third-party replacement, AZZCardfile (azzcardfile.com, $29.95 shareware).

If you'd rather not buy extra software, an old Microsoft tech-support note suggests a few workarounds to extract data from Cardfile - but the simpler one requires access to a machine that can run the Cardfile program. Good luck with that in 2010.

The overriding lesson here is, sadly, not a new one: Don't let your data stay locked up in a program that's long since been abandoned by its developers.

There's also a lesson for PC manufacturers: Making the 64-bit edition of Windows 7 the standard on home computers is a serious mistake when that version delivers few real-world benefits but can inflict painful compatibility issues on users.

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